Shuriman Policy
by The Real Hunter Doodles
Summary: Awakening in a strange stone room, you find yourself in the inner reaches of the ancient city of Shurima without any memories of your past. Nasus will do his best to make you feel at home in this new place.
1. Beginning

Shuriman Policy 2

The desert was an unforgiving place, devoid of life and shelter, and I had no idea how I came to be here. My origins were foggy. Where I came from seemed to be a mystery yet unsolved, but I felt like my roots rested in the lands of Demacia based on what little I _could_ remember. I struggled to find my footing in the sands as I climbed the steep dunes, wondering where I might find some respite from the sandstorm raging about me. The sand was like shards of glass, cutting the wind and at my skin mercilessly as I fought against the wind. Slowly sapping away my energy with every strong gust of wind. I found myself begin to waver in consciousness, and eventually everything went black. I was lost to the sands of the desert.

I had a harrowing dream of being trapped within the walls of Demacia, a bright light shining high above the city. I felt like the situation was rather dire, everyone had a horrified look on their face, but I couldn't hear anything but the rushing of wind. And suddenly a beam of energy shot out from the sky, cutting swaths of destruction through the city. One of these beams of light was headed straight for me, and as I raise my hands to defend myself, suddenly, I'm looking up towards a sandstone ceiling. My face slightly wet with sweat.

I sit up, laying on a rather uncomfortable bed of stone with a flimsy sheet covering me and a pillow filled with hay the only comfort the bed had to offer. I look around and see that the room is rather barren, but the architecture of it overall was pretty lavish, even if it was ancient. I remove the sheet to discover, with surprise, that someone had taken the liberty of removing my clothes. Leaving me with only simple brown cloth coverings for my privates as well as a loincloth. I also notice that a few cuts that I had sustained from the intense sandstorm had been treated, but some that seemed superficial had yet to be covered.

I immediately begin to think of where in the world I might be. The sandstone was a good indication that I was still in the desert. Some kind of temple? But I didn't remember there being any kind of temple in the desert other than in the ancient city of Shurima, and that place was pretty much abandoned, to my knowledge, except for what I knew of the two champions in the League of Legends that were rumored to still inhabit the ruins, the Emperor Azir and the tactician and scholar named Nasus. And if one of them had found me…

"No, that wouldn't be possible…" I said aloud, startled by my own voice for a moment. It was rather dry sounding and weak, and I couldn't help but instinctively cough as I realize just how dry it is. "I-I need to find something to drink…" I say softly as I rub my throat and slowly stand up. I stumble a bit, my legs feeling quite weak still. Whoever brought me here hadn't done anything to sate any hunger or thirst, maybe thinking I'd wake up and go find something as I am now. And if this is something they've planned to happen then I could be walking into some sort of trap, but I didn't see any other solution to my problem then to leave and find something to drink myself.

The door to my 'room' was made of a worn series of wooden planks. It opened quite easily with the small rope handle attached to it. Peeking out I see a long hallway, on both ends of the hallway were huge wall mounted torches that emitted a dazzling blue and purple flame that were being held by ancient sandstone statues. As I take a second look at the surroundings of this room, it looked more and more like a Shuriman structure than I originally thought. Maybe one of them did find me…

I walk through a few rooms until I find myself outside in a sort of courtyard. The pathways of the courtyard were lined with streams of water that seemed to come from this giant floating disc in the distance, which was placed at the top of a large staircase. I quickly get down onto my knees and begin scooping the water into my hands and drinking my fill of water. Taking a good few minutes to make sure my stomach was as full as willing of water. I suddenly felt like throwing up, but I held it in as I stood up.

The giant disc looked rather imposing, it pulsated slowly with this strange blue energy. But, if it was the source of the water it couldn't be all bad. I decided to go and see where this water it was releasing was heading, and I followed the main passageway to what seemed to be a place of meditation. The walls of this building was lined with bookcases, and they seemed to be quite modern compared to the rest of the building, as if they had recently been replaced. However, the contents of the bookcases were a mixture of old and new books, and there were large piles of books in places where they wouldn't all fit on the bookcases, as well as places on the walls where bookcases were seemingly absent where books were just stacked in tall towers instead. The water ended at a sort of pool with a small island of tiled floor in the middle. There was a drain at the end that prevented the water from flooding the room, but what was most intriguing was the staff that was placed on a pedestal in the center of the island. It was incredibly ornate and very well polished. It had definitely seen some use very recently.

Curiosity gets the best of me as I step over the small stream of water and head towards the staff, only needing to take a few steps to reach it. It looked sort of like a green Axe of some sort, except the bladed part of it was split into two separate parts, with a brilliant blue gem close to where the axe head joined with the handle. The handle was wrapped in a sturdy leather covering, the bottom of the staff had a balance on it meant to help with swinging it like a weapon, and it was the same color as the axe head and just as ornate although there was no gem in the pommel.

I stare and admire the craftsmanship of the staff in silence, circling around it before again facing it from the front of its pedestal. I reach my hand out to grab it but as I got closer I could feel my strength begin to wane, and I could hear whispers coming from the staff itself. I suddenly back away from it a bit.

 _"It must be a dangerous artifact… it might steal my soul if I get too close to it"_ I think as I keep my distance. Shurima was known for producing weapons such as this, but not many of them still existed to this day, and those that did have all but lost this once fabled power. It was surprising to me that this weapon still had it, and especially to the level at which I felt pull at my own life force from just being in its proximity.

"I wouldn't touch that if I were you, young one." I could hear from behind me, I quickly turn around to see where it came from.

I turn around to see no one other than Nasus standing behind me, grabbing one of my shoulders strongly. I hadn't even heard him approach! He was much taller in person, probably around 6 and a half feet tall!

"I-I... I'm sorry sir I just-" I begin to say.

"You are human, it is quite understandable." Nasus says, picking up the staff quite effortlessly. "Curiosity often gets the better of them."

"How are you able to hold it?" I say in awe, remembering how it felt to just get near the staff.

"I have been ascended by The Sun Disc. The enchantment on this staff doesn't affect the holder if they have been ascended." Nasus says as he plants the base of his staff into the ground.

"Ascension…" I say softly. Wanting to ask him another question but being interrupted before I can.

"Come with me, I've been trading with a nearby village outside of the desert. I've brought you some food on top of my usual supplies." I nod with surprise that he would bring more food specifically for me.

The food hall was very empty with two people. "It was originally built to hold hundreds of Shuriman citizens." Nasus said as we both sat down next to each other. "But now it's just me. Azir refuses to eat in here."

"Why?" I ask as I poke at my food with a fork.

"Emperors deserve to eat in the pinnacle of luxury." Nasus says, I could feel he was rolling his eyes as he said it. "But are Emperors truly Emperors if they have nobody to lead?"

It is silent for a few moments. Nasus stares down at his food. "However," he says, "He is the emperor, and I am sworn to follow him."

I look at Nasus, and he seems distracted by some inner thoughts. I want to ask him if he was alright but I didn't really want to overstep any boundaries.

The sun was beginning to set, I had been hanging out with Nasus all day, rarely leaving his side at all. It was nice. Nasus was great company to keep, and I appreciated everything he had done for me so far. We both watched the sunset from inside the main meditative temple where I originally found his staff.

"Tomorrow I think I'll send you on your way home, you look recovered enough." Nasus says after a few minutes.

Oh… going home. If only I knew where home was.

"Well… about that…" I begin. "I don't remember where home even is." Nasus raises a brow and I could tell he thinks that over for a few moments.

"Then… I suppose you can stay here for the time being, if you want." Nasus offers. "If you choose to live here, however, I'll have to present you to Azir to see if he accepts your request for citizenship in Shurima."

"This place seems more home than any other place I remember… I think I'd like to live here." I say after giving it a little thought.

"As you wish, I shall inform Azir in the morning." Nasus says, a small smile on his face. "It will be nice to have a new face around here."

We talk for a bit longer before Nasus shows me back to my room. He apologizes for the crude accommodations and promises me that we'll work on improving my room over time. He ensures I'm in bed before slowly closing the door and leaving me alone once more. I lay back in my bed and think about what has transpired today. As of tomorrow I'll be a citizen of Shurima, hopefully. I have no idea where else I'll go if Azir turns me away. Nasus seems nice enough, but I was still unsure of how Azir would react to an outsider wanting to become a citizen. Speaking of Nasus, I really liked him. He was quite nice to me at first and I didn't see much change in that over the course of the day. The more I thought about him, the more I wanted to learn how to wield that staff of his. Maybe I'll ask him what it takes to ascend.

To Be Continued


	2. Azir

Shuriman Policy 2

Part 2 – Azir

I awaken from my dream very suddenly, and upon recollection I find myself unable to process what I had actually been dreaming about. Forgetting dreams had always been something that annoyed me, how something you had just seen so clearly is lost and scattered like grains of sand in an expansive desert, but this time was even more furstrating seeing as the last nightmare I had seemed to be some sort of information about my past. I stretch my arms, yawn, and hear a few satisfying pops before standing up. I look through a small window located in my room and see it was still quite early, the sun just beginning to rise into the sky. As I prepare to step out into the hall to locate Nasus, I notice a small package as well as a note in front of the entrance to my room. I gently pick up the package and notice that the note has Nasus's name on it. I toake it over to my bed and sit down before reading the note.

 **'Sorry for the short notice, little one, but I have fashioned some more suitable clothing than the rags I had previously left you with. I fashioned these partially from the tattered clothes you arrive here with, and a few leather scraps I was able to find lying around. These are still far from acceptable but they should do a better job at protecting you from the harsh, sandy winds you may find in and around the area of Shurima. I've also taken great care to making these garments seem 'authentic' in terms of design to the traditional Shuriman citizens. Think of it as a welcoming present!**

 **I hope it pleases you,**

 **Nasus'**

I couldn't help but smile, Nasus didn't have to do this for me, But I was greatful that he did. I remove the loincloth portion of my underwear and take time learning how to put on the clothing. It was designed to hug the body pretty well, and I was quite glad to discover that it was a short sleeved garment. With my new, yet old, outfit fully equipped I head out into the hall to find Nasus.

"Just stay calm, and don't give him any reason to doubt you. Think about what you say and don't contradict yourself, no matter how small it is." Nasus is silent for a few moments. "Oh! And compliment him as often as it seems within normal and viable bondaries. He gets quite weak at the knees to be confirmed that he is indeed the Emperor after going so long without having desciples to bow to his every whim."

I smile, "Alright, I'll keep that in mind, Nasus." I say, still a little unsure. He told me to stay calm but I had a hard time keeping it together. I was getting so nervous! Was Azir really this hard to truly please? What if he judges me too harshly? What if he asks a question I'm not prepared for? How am I going to get through this?

All three of us gather in the throne room. Azir, having come from a different entrance that was situated closer to the elaborate throne, takes a graceful seat at the throne. Two soliders rising from the ground to stand beside him in a defensive position. There is a long carpet that extends from the entrace of the room all the way to his sacred throne, and I can't help but feel a little silly about how cliché all of this seemed. We all walk at a leisurely pace towards him until we are stood about 10 feet away. The two soliders step forward to stop us, but after a moment I realize that these soldiers aren't even real, they're made of sand!

"Halt there!" says Azir in a powerful voice. "It has come to my attention that you desire to live in the mighty kingdom of Shurima. On what authority do you have to make such a request?"

I look to my left and see that Nasus has stepped away from me, instead moving to stand besides Azirs throne. I wouldn't have any help here. "W-well…" I begin to say, but remember from Nasus that I must stay confident. "I-I feel like this palce is a better home than I could have ever had before! I-I can't remember anything about my past life… what I was… who I was… I don't even remember my name, Your Excellence."

Azir wiggles slightly, a rather weird gesture. I can see Nasus turn his head away from Azir slightly and smile a bit, suppressing a laugh. Did he wiggle because I called him 'Your Excellence'? Maybe I was wrong about him not being easy to please. Maybe he just has certain things he wants to hear.

The questioning continues on in this manner, him trying to prod me for information about my past, to try and prove that I truly had no memories of my past. Once he seems satisfied he leans back in his throne and crosses one of his scaley legs over his knee.

"I see… well, I see no issue in accepting your voluntary request to become a citizen of Shurima." Azir says, looking towards Nasus. "However, Nasus… I want you to train him."

A look of slight surprise crosses Nasus's face. "Oh? And what would I be training him, Your Highness?" Nasus says. This time I find myself having to surpress my laughter due to Azirs slight squirming in place. "I'm not sure what you'd want me to teach him."

After Azir calms down a bit, he folds his feathered hands together and leans forward a bit. "He needs to be trained in combat, and combat tactics. If he's going to live in Shurima he has to fight in the Shuriman way. He'll also need to be taught basic education if he lacks certain skills, something of which I'm sure you'll be able to do."

"I'm not a teacher anymore, Azir." Nasus says.

"And that wasn't a request, _Nasus_." Azir says, his soldiers of sand tensing up a bit. "It's an _order_ , and I expec t it to be carried out." He turns back to me. "Welcome to Shurima, it is customary for newborns without names to be named by the Emporer himself. I think the same can apply here. Your name from henceforth shall be… Elrick."

I nod and stand up to leave, Nasus rests his hand on my shoulder and walks along with me, congradulating me as we walk out of the throne room, we both decide to head towards the Great Library, to get the teaching curriculum figured out.

' _The origins of the Sun Disc have all been lost to time, some say that the Sun Disc has been here since the bery beginning, while others claim it was created by an incredibly powerful sorcerer. From what we know of its power, however, we imagine that the Sun Disc was created by one of the first Shuriman Summoners near the beginning of the second Era, during a great famine._

 _The Sun Disc has the unique property to transfrom life, and create literal Gods. The process is known as Ascension, and the only known to exists at the time of writing is the wise scholar named Nasus.'_

This book must be pretty old. There are quite a few ascended beings known to exist about now. Nasus, Renekton, Azir, and Xerath. This book only even mentions Nasus. But man, I had a hard time believing that the Butcher of the Sands himself was related to Nasus. I wonder where he lives?

"Once you're done studying the history of the Sun Disc I can teach you safety procedures about getting near the Sun Disc." He smiles a bit, "Also, you've read quite a bit of it already, haven't you?"

I nod, it was a good book, there was a lot of knowledge to be gained from this book and I wanted to learn as much as I could about this place.

"Hey Nasus?"

"Yes, little one?"

"This book says at the time of it's writing that you were the only known ascended being to exist in Runeterra. Why is that? Isn't Azir ascended too?"

Nasus takes a deep breath and sits down besides me, petting my head softly, which seemed pretty backwards seeing as he looked like an oversized dog. "Azir was a special case. It was ascended but… he was also locked away and sealed. Kind of like a sort of… hibernation. The same with Xerath and…" He takes a few moments to finish his sentence. "… Renekton."

"Is it true that… he's your brother?" I say, looking up at him.

"No… the _**shell**_ that you may encounter these days may look like Renekton, but he is no longer my brother. His body has been consumed by an insane rage, thanks to the corruption of his mind brought forth by Xerath." He goes silent for a few moments again, I could feel the sadness in his voice. "The real Renekton is in here…" he points to his head. "In… my memories. But my brother, for all intents and purposes, is long dead. He died as soon as he was trapped with Xerath all those years ago."

I lean over towards him and give him a big hug, burying my face into his side, his armor felt cold against my cheek, but Nasus's arm hugged me closer in a thankful gesture of kindness. And I smiled.

"I wish I could have known Renekton, then." I say. "He seemed like a great guy."

"He was, and he'd be a better combat teacher than I could ever be. He was always the brawn, me the brain, but... Renekton was still _brilliant_ in his own right."

I smile, I was seeing a side of Nasus I hadn't really seen before. He seemed happy. We continued talking about the other ascendeds, as well as the Sun Disc and what it means to ascend and how it works. At one point I asked him if I'd ever ascend, but… he just laughs and says that it's not all that it's cracked up to be. I smile and continue to read. I study with Nasus until sunset, and once that happens we find a nice dune and watch the sunset together over a meal. I've only been here for two days, and, I already feel like me and Nasus were good friends.

And on the inside I felt like Nasus needed a friend more than I ever did, but I was glad I was there to _be_ that friend.


End file.
